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Post by lazy penguin on Sept 21, 2018 14:23:54 GMT -5
Berkley Zoological Society doesn’t appear to be much at first glance. A few scraggly oak trees intertwine above the large iron gate that leads into the depths of the zoo. Potted plants scatter the gravel parking lot, but in general, the landscape seems fairly barren. However, the inside of the zoo couldn't be more contrary. Birch trees line paths cut out of stone, and tall marble buildings make the landscape look straight out of a fairytale. The enclosures are always immaculate and even the aging viewing glasses have remained crystal clear. But visitors will agree that the zoo’s biggest attraction isn’t the grounds themselves, but the creatures that shelter behind its gates.
Shaped like a large ‘R’, Berkley Zoo is divided into seven public segments.
Walking in through the North Entrance, visitors stride across a large mosaic depicting Africa’s famous Savannah. Called, the Kalahari Safari, the first section of the zoo is home to Exotic Hoofed Mammals, Giraffes, and a large Pachyderm House. Most of the animals in the Safari have large outdoor enclosures with plenty of room for roaming. Occasionally, large yellow lines cut across the paths, leading through gates into the enclosures. This section is the location of the zoo’s Jeeptm Tour, where visitors can rest their feet as staff members take them up close to the exotic animals. Next to the Giraffe pen, a smaller stand advertises times when the visitors can hand feed the animals for an exuberant price, and the gift shops sell paintings made by one of the zoo's elephants.
If one is to continue walking south, they’d quickly run into the Woodland Band, a section of the zoo that houses woodland creatures ranging from bears to wolves. To the western corner of the segment, a large wooden path takes visitors down a long nature walk where deer, foxes, and porcupines are housed mere inches away. The Woodland Band puts a special focus on local wildlife, with plaques showing off ranges nearby where the wild population flourishes. The biggest attraction of the segment, however, is the Wolf House. A smaller building, the Wolf House takes visitors through the history of wolves, putting special attention on how crucial they are to their ecosystems. At the end, a large glass wall gives viewers a closer look into the wolf enclosure, and it seems like there is always a beast within view.
To the east of the Woodland Band, the trees turn into sand. The Tidal Zone wasn’t an original part of Berkley Zoo, but it has swiftly become one of it’s most popular locations. The segment, decorated in shell motifs and large coastal rocks, houses a large variety of coastal life ranging from crabs to dolphins. In the center of this segment, a large dome-shaped building is decorated with murals of dolphins, penguins, and sea lions. The Tidepool is a large stadium, and dolphin shows are held on Fridays and the Weekends. Behind the stadium, the Tidal Zone houses its seals and sea lions, the path dipping underground and a large glass ceiling allowing visitors to peer upwards into the water. Sea Lions also put on shows in their enclosures, and to surprise visitors, the zoo staff trains it penguins to waddle out into the crowd during intermission.
Beneath both the Woodland Band and the Tidal Zone, a fourth segment stand right before the zoo divides. The Banana Split is Berkley’s number one spot for everything primates. To the east, the enclosures house mostly apes, with large crowds forming around the Gorilla and Orangutan pens. To the west, the monkeys swing overhead. Both sides of the Split have a competitive rivalry, and it isn’t uncommon for staff and employees to mock their counterparts on the opposite side. Younger visitors to the Banana Split are encouraged to participate in a scavenger hunt that takes them from east to west exploring the differences between each type of primate.
Underneath the east side of the Split, a new addition to the zoo houses an old favorite. The Kitty Corner sits all by itself, moved from its original location where the Tidal Zone now sits. The Kitty Corner, like its name suggests, holds all sorts of big and small cats. From lions to servals, there always seems to be a new cats to dazzle viewers. In the center of this segment, four large enclosures display its biggest attractions: lions, tigers, leopards, and cougars. It seems like every pathway in the segment leads here, and likewise, visitors can reach any pen in the Kitty Corner from this one location.
Underneath the west side of the Banana Split, is a stranger section of Berkley. Feathers and Scales is a visitor’s go to place for anything bird or reptile. This segment has the most variety in creatures as a large Reptile House as well as a large Bird House show off every creature you could dream of. Larger birds like flamingos and eagles, can be found in separate enclosures, and several lakes house waterfowl from cranes to mallards. Reptiles are much the same, as visitors walk by pens for Komodo Dragons and Alligators well before the Reptile House comes into view. The only thing not feathers or scales related, is a large house to the west of the section. The Insects and Arachnids House is designed to break down the stigma behind animals typically described as ‘creepy’ or ‘scary’. Spiders, ants, scorpions, you name it, they have it. The zoo has weekly events were they let visitors handle these delicate creatures, all part of the zoo’s mission to prove how interesting and important they can be in everyday life.
The last and southernmost section of Berkley Zoo is The Kid Zone. Designed for children and their parents, the segment is full with parks and places for kids to interact with animals. The biggest example of this, is the Petting Zoo, an area where families wander among goats and other safe-to-touch animals. In the center of The Kid Zone, red and white stripes color the top of a large carousel, with intricately painted animals for children to ride on. The segment is also home to a large Small Mammal House with sections focusing on mammals that survive in extreme environments and mammals like cats and guinea pigs and how to care properly for these pets.
1/1 Director xx Executes policies as directed by the governing authority. Responsible for the institution's operation and plans for future development.Oversees an institution's entire animal collection and animal management staff. Responsible for strategic collection planning. The Director is the official leader of the zoo. Their word is considered law and to go against them risks getting kicked out.
1/2 Assistant Director xx Assists the director and assumes charge in the director's absence. More often than not, the Assistant Director is in charge of handling internal affairs, especially with feuds that risk the safety of the zoos secrets.
3/6 Animal Curators xx Manages a certain portion of an institution's animal collection; i.e., mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, etc. Animal Curators are usually senior shifters who’ve been at the zoo for a while. They often assign jobs for the animals in their collection, and have to report any dangerous or suspicious behavior to the Assistant Director.
1/1 Marketing Director xx Creates advertising campaigns and other activities to increase public awareness of the institution. The Marketing Director is the zoo’s major defense against hunters, and thus are highly respected among their peers. It is their task to make the zoo look like an actual zoo, by publishing newsletters, highlighting and planning zoo events, and much more.
1/1 Operations Director xx Responsible for the daily operation of the institution's physical equipment. The Operations Director is in charge or the technology of the zoo, and is ever upgrading and developing tools of protection and weaponry for the shifters at the zoo.
0/1 Conservation Biologist xx Provides scientific and technical assistance in the management of the animal collection and assists in conducting various research or field conservation projects. The Conservation Biologist wasn’t originally a part of the zoo’s design. They work with their fellow shifters to help research the biological and composition of shifters, as well as certain shifting-related illnesses to help grow knowledge about them.
__/14 Head Keepers xx Supervise a section or department of the institution; provides training and scheduling for keepers. Head Keepers are in charge of a group of shifters and their assignments. They work hand in hand with Animal Curators to figure out schedules and training to benefit both the zoo and the shifters that shelter there.
Animal Trainers xx Work with an animal or animal collection to improve a certain function or train them for a show or performance. Animal Trainers are in charge of preparing the members of the zoo to defend themselves against hunters. They also aid younger shifters when they are first developing their shifting abilities.
Veterinarians/Doctors xx Responsible for the healthcare program for the animal collection and the maintenance of health records.Veterinarians are the healers of the zoo, whether it be a human or animal illness/injury.
1/1 Gift Shop Manager xx Manages staff and all aspects of gift shop operation from buying products to designing shops. The Gift Shop Manager is perhaps the strangest job at the zoo, yet a necessary one. Besides managing the gift shop, they are also in charge of creating sellable products and goods so the zoo can make profit.
Tour Guides xx Take zoo visitors around the grounds in guided tours whether it be on foot, by jeep, or other method. The Tour Guides serve as a first line of defense at the zoo. Because they interact with visitors so often, they are in charge of scoping out suspicious figures who could be hunters.
Veterinary Technicians xx Assists the veterinarian and provides care to the animals under the supervision of the veterinarian. The Veterinary Technicians are usually younger shifters looking to advance as healers as they age.
Keepers xx Provide daily care to the institution's animals, including diet preparation, cleaning, general exhibit maintenance, and record keeping. Most shifter at the zoo will take turns being keepers. Those with other shifters of the same animal will often frequent these roles more often than solo shifters.
Concession Stand Employees/General Staff xx Most of the general staff are newer shifters, or young shifters just starting to work at the zoo. In most cases they work at the restaurants, gift shops, or as ride operators but they can also be called to aid other workers if they need them.
Animals xx New shifters, unruly shifter, and younger shifters stay as animals until they can prove themselves trustworthy enough to protect the secrets of the zoo.
Other Jobs xx Shifters can have a variety of other jobs at the zoo as well! If you have something specific in mind, feel free to ask me and we can work things out!
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Post by lazy penguin on Sept 21, 2018 15:44:39 GMT -5
Follow this link to the joining page!
Upper Management
(director, assistant directors, animal curators, marketing & operations directors)
male || fifty two || golden eagle
Noah in his animal form doesn't look much different from most other golden eagles save for the burning intelligence in his eyes and the warm golden brown color in them. He is average in size, settling at about 35 inches with a large wingspan of 7 feet and two inches. His feathers are a warm golden brown almost reminiscent of his hair. Though his signs of aging are visible, it's hardly noticeable among the other white feathers he has. He has several scars but their not visible unless you're touching him, then you'll feel the bumps and ridges of the scars on his body.
To the untrained eye, Noah doesn't look like anything other than a dignified aristocrat. Standing at 5'8", Noah makes for quite an impressive figure despite his height. He holds himself with a regal elegance and does not appear to look his age. His hair is dark brown and greying at the temples, though in some light sources the highlights look like a richer warm brown that match the color of his eyes. His eyes are large and expressive, often expressing a depth of understanding his words cannot. He has a light tan complexion and a muscular frame, complimenting his defined jawline and groomed salt and pepper stubble. Most of the scars that litter his body are all hidden underneath his clothes and it's hard to even catch sight of them unless one's actively looking. The only visible scar he has peaks out underneath his hairline near his right temple. On his right bicep, he has a tattoo of a golden eagle's head morphing into waves, with the head and beak of the eagle appearing like the top of a big wave . He carries with him an elegant ebony cane with gold notches near the bottom of the cane and the handle of the cane. It leads to a curved cocobolo handle with the golden head of an eagle at the tip. Set in the eagle's head are ruby gems for the eyes, the initials 'K.M.' is engraved on the gold notch. Inside the walking stick is a hidden blade of carbon steel.
Noah is a learned man. He's articulate, he's bold, and he's cunning. He sees more than he lets onto and he is always composed, never letting others get the better of him in a battle of wits. He has an age old wisdom to him but a streak of resistance that has never faded since his youth. He has made a name for himself as an impartial man, a reliable mediator for conflicts and arguments as well as an excellent judge of character. Though he tends to stray from the spotlight and work in the shadows, Noah does what is asked of him due to his strong sense of duty and responsibility. He's a strong willed man and even when all odds are against him and he has his back to the wall, Noah won't go down without a fight. He's seen the worst in people and though there are parts of him that are haunted and jaded from it, he never lets it show. He is acquaintance to many, but friends to near none. He knows better than to take such risks. He's also too cheeky and smug for his own good and dramatic to the point where it's actually worrisome.
Noah Wright, formerly Kingsley Moore, was the son of an aristocratic lineage of 'pureblood' shifters. The Moore family has never had a human in their family tree and were an influential family involved both in politics and crime in England. However, thirty years ago the patriarch of the family, Benjamin Moore fell ill and the family fell into Noah's hands but an assassination attempt on his life left the family in shambles and caused the collapse of the Moore estates. Attempting to put together a more quiet life, he took on the name Noah Wright and married a fellow shifter Abraham Naaji and adopted a human child, Elijah Naaji. However, after a particularly nasty fallout, Abraham left with Elijah and Noah decided to branch out to newer operations landing him with Berkley where he found something to nourish and grow. There are talks with him being involved with unsavory individuals given the people he brings in, but he has no criminal record with his new identity and information about Kingsley Moore is more or less nonexistent.
brother to bennet moore, boyfriend to adrione dal porto, in a relationship with alphonse fournier, ex-husband of abraham naaji, adoptive father of elijah naaji, mentor to xue weiyang xx assistant director xx bisexual
male || thirty nine || owl butterfly
The illusionist among butterflies, Virgil's animal form is an absolute trickery of the eye. As an owl butterfly, his wings have markings similar so that predators leave him alone. There's nothing outstandingly different about his shifter form compared to those of normal owl butterflies, but the trippy appearance and defensive mechanism matches up rather perfectly with his personality.
Dorji Chime, better known as Virgil, has a rather otherworldly aura to him. There's no saying where it comes from or why it even exists, but it seems to be there and tangible, almost like he's not of this universe. In terms of appearance, he's normal enough with black hair generally left to fall messily over his forehead or slicked back with loose strands falling out. His eyes seem to be all seeing for some reason and maybe it's just because he's too attentive for his own good or because of the intensity of his stare. He's got an ever present van that he'd probably look better without but nobody really knows since he never does a clean shave. He has a tan complexion and dark brown eyes as well as a very, very prominent scar across his nose bridge and another facial scar running across his left cheek. He has a lean and lanky build, reminiscent of gymnasts and he stands at the height of 5'9" which isn't all that impressive but he makes due. He's got a binary code tattoo on his left shoulder that says "[expletive] off [expletive] in power".
There's something off about Virgil. Nobody's sure as to what it is, but it's undeniably there. His mannerisms and his overall personality just seems to give off that vibe. He's attentive as hell, it seems like nothing ever passes by him. Or maybe he just has that many eyes and ears - connections all around. He has a very crude sense of humor and there's something about him that just spells trouble. It might be the van . It might be the crude humor. Once again, there seems to be nothing absolute about Virgil. Nobody really knows where he came from. Some said he just flew here on his own accord, others say he was brought here but by who, nobody knows. He's also a talkative man but he never seems to talk about himself or his origins. Maybe somebody'll get him to open up. Or maybe not.
There's not much to be said about Virgil since there's not much that's public information. He's got a tight lid on his story, but what little is known is that his name 'Dorji Chime' is obviously Bhutanese and that he's of Asian descent. As to the reason why Virgil ended up at the zoo or where the alias even came from, there's little to be said about that. He's a very skilled hacker and engineer. When it comes to technology and weaponry, he seems to be far too knowledgeable for a normal man. There's talk that he was actually approached by Noah though neither will confirm or deny this. There are some suspicions about him being involved in less than savory activities. He's been at the zoo for ten years and counting.
family unknown xx operations director xx homosexual
Lower Management
(head keepers, conservation biologist, animal trainers, gift shop manager)
male || fifty four || golden tiger
Xingfu's animal form is elegant and powerful. He's not an especially large tiger in terms of length or height, but he's firmly muscled and when he moves about the ripples of his muscles are visible underneath his thick orange and whtie coat. His eyes are dark brown and due to the lightness of his pelt, they seem even more engaging. He's missing a claw in his right front paw though it doesn't seem to be something that anybody notices.
There is nothing particularly fearsome about Xingfu when skimming the surface. He stands at 5'8" and he's not tall, he settles on average. In addition, with his loose fitted clothing, it's hard to tell that he's got a well muscled frame. With years dedicated to training his body, it shows. Many fail to notice his age in addition to that. With his mobility, finesse, strength, and appearance they tend to think he is younger than he actually is. A simple mistake that he doesn't quite mind. In terms of features, there's nothing exactly memorable about him. He has short, well kept black hair. He has dark brown almond shaped eyes, a tan complexion, and thick brows with a slight arch upwards at the end. His body is heavily scarred, though there are no indications as to how he came to receive them. It is also noted that his right pinky is missing. Unbeknownst to some, Xingfu is also partially deaf in his left ear. It's from a rather potent blow to the head, but it hasn't caused him much trouble as of late and most of those who are close to him know of this injury. In addition, Xingfu has a large tattoo of an eastern dragon curling up his right forearm and ending on his chest as well as a tattoo of a foo dog on his left arm. On his back he has a tattoo of Guan Yu - the God of War - and the words 兵不厌诈 ["nothing is too deceitful in war"] next to the Guan Yu tattoo. Underneath it at his lower back there is a newer tattoo that says 君子之心不胜其小,而气量涵盖一世。["the heart of a good man cares not about his own selfish desires, but of all that it encompasses from the breadth of his heart"].
When it comes to disposition, Xingfu is best compared to an immovable object. He is an honorable man, he believes in living life by a certain code of conduct. He does not kick the downtrodden. Having once been a man of fiery spirit and reckless energy, he has mellowed down quite a bit. He is a disciplined man with control of his action and his temper. It is hard to ignite anger in him and much harder to stir conflict when he is around. That is not to say that he won't fight back. He just never initiates conflict, choosing instead to end it. However, that said, he is both stubborn in his ways and dauntless. If he firmly believes in something, there is no changing his mind. It plays hand in hand with his loyalty. Those he swear to protect and those he swear as his brothers in arms are the closest thing to family for him and he would do anything to protect them. It plays right into his self-righteous behavior. He knows very well the nature of man, but he also knows himself well. He believes, whether his actions go against the law, as long as he doesn't fail himself he is not in the wrong. Though he values kindness and integrity, he has no qualms with doing what he believes needs to be done. Xingfu is a wise soul. He's the kind of man that sagely says deep things without any prerequisite. There's no warning and suddenly: wisdom bomb. He leads a life of former conflict but he's made peace with who he once was and what he once did. He's even considered passive as a result to his reluctance to start conflict, but that is far from the truth.
The Yus are both non-shifters carrying the recessive gene. When their first born and only child ended up a shifter against all odds, neither were quite certain as to what to do so they sent Xingfu to the Shaolin Temples in Dengfeng where violence is prohibited and shifters could safely reside there without the outside world knowing of their existence. However, due to the fact he constantly ignited conflict in the temples, he was casted out and ended up under the tutelage of Ling Ming. As he grew older, he became involved with a shifter triad known as the Red Lotus and became one of their most ferocious fighters. The Red Lotus, however, was completely disbanded after an attack killed over three fourths of their members and Xingfu found himself back at Dengfeng where he reassessed himself and lived a peaceful life for three years as the records of the Red Lotus became lost and disjointed and the achievements of the organization became forgotten. Afterwards, he took to photography and hairdressing and became a travelling photographer before settling in with Fuyu Isao after having met the other man in Japan. When Isao decided to join Berkley, Xingfu didn't see a reason as to why he wouldn't follow him.
son of yu nuo and yu jiaolong [deceased], boyfriend to fuyu isao, adoptive father to fuyu tenshi, blood brother of zeng nan xin xx animal trainer xx demiromantic asexual
male || fifty one || black panther
Alphonse's animal form is that of a large black panther, well muscled with a sleek brilliant black pelt that is as soft to the touch as it looks. He's larger than the average jaguar standing at about 2.8 ft at the shoulder and weighing in at 110 kg. He's nearly 6'5" from nose to tail and has an elegant gait that translates over from his human form. His eyes are oceanic blue and the contrast between them and his pelt is quite spectacular. His fur however has signs of age with the occasional white strands making an appearance, especially at his muzzle. His body is also heavily scarred and sometimes the silvery edges of them peak out from underneath his fur. His facial scars are still present in this form.
Fifty one years of age, and Alphonse still posses the appearance of a refined gentleman. If anything, he's aged like fine wine, getting better as the years came to pass him by. Standing at 6'1", Alphonse is a rather tall man with a firm, well muscled, but lean build that is covered in scars. His hands, torso, arms, and legs are all heavily scarred as well. He is a man with ferocious facial features, namingly his high cheek bones, hooked nose, salt and pepper hair, and strong jawline. His dark oceanic blue eyes and furrowed brows add onto his natural ferocity, especially due to the striking contrast between his blue eyes and his olive complexion. His face is also marked with two scars running down his right cheek to his jawline and a scar crossing his lips. Despite this, his features can be quite expressive and are capable of appearing rather soft if he wished to.
Alphonse is a hard man to place. He's an enigma, hard to read with questionable motives. His allegiance is hard to earn, but once it's given it'll last as long as the relationship is mutually beneficial. He's a calculating man who doesn't take unnecessary risks and has never been known to shy away from a challenge. He steps up to tackle any problem as they emerge. He's a cunning man, never one to avoid underhand techniques in order to win an argument or a fight. He's also quite good at reading people and getting his way. He's a silver tongue and takes great pride in being a step ahead of his adversaries. He doesn't open up easily and has a rather cynical take to most things that match his life experiences. However, that is not to say that he's a cold hearted man. Though he has a tendency to be merciless and even vile at times, he's quite gentle to those who he consider family or friends. Though he's firm in his ways, he's soft spoken. His mannerisms don't quite match up with his persona or his personality and he's a charmer by nature. He lives to be the epitome of class. Though if he achieved that or not is a topic to be debated. He's also quite paternal by nature, generally channeling his more philosophical and gentler side with children. He doesn't mind kids at all and quite likes them.
Alphonse's past is a patchwork of various different nonsensical stories combined. There seems to be nothing definitive about him other than that he was born in Rhône-Alpes and grew up in Paris. He joined the military at the age of twenty three after getting a bachelors in criminal law. Which branch he was under is still up in the air and his operations once being honorably discharged is equally unknown. His files are nonexistent and as far as most are aware Alphonse Fournier doesn't exist and he's a walking ghost. However, at Seraphin's insistence in order to protect their ever growing family of shifters he found a safe haven for them at Berkley after befriending Noah. His operations are still widely unknown, but as of late ever since he became a headkeeper he seems to have more of a sense of responsibility when it comes to the zoo.
married to seraphin fournier. biological father of camille, cyrille, and colette fournier. adoptive father to ivan, jerome, dione, irene, alexandra, and eliane fournier. in an open marriage, is also in a relationship with fushimi taro, noah wright, artem vasylyk, and atlantic moreau-nguyen xx head keeper/lawyer xx demiromantic pansexual
female || fifty || lionness
As far as lions go, Seraphin is a little small. In her shifter form, she measures to about 3 feet at shoulder height. She's slight but well muscled, weighing in below the average weight as well. She's built for speed. Her fur is tawny gold and white and the few signs of age that show blend into her cream and white fur. She has a regal look to her with intelligent green eyes. There are a number of scars hidden underneath her pelt though none of them are truly visible.
Though Seraphin stands at the mere height of 5'1", she posses the heart of a lion. True to her Spanish descent, Seraphin has light tan skin and dark brown hair, accentuated by her green eyes. Her features are graceful and soft. She has full lips, slightly sparse eyebrows, and an aristocratic nose. Her frame seems slight and petite, but the woman could take down a man twice her size if necessary. Rather, she, too, is composed decently of muscles underlying her petite frame. The woman has a natural air of beauty, something more of the nature-esque look that gives her a ferocity matching of the sun and the earth. When Seraphin is angry, her features often times distort into something far more terrifying that do not bade well with her soft features. She has few visible scars on Seraphin but it is noted that her left arm have cigarette burn scars. The right side of her back from her shoulder blade to near her hip has a long jagged knife scar. She also has some knife scars on her hands and a long scar on her right calf in addition to a small scar hidden by her hair near her left side temple. She has a tattoo of a queen chess piece on her right wrist and a small blue jay on the left side at the small of her back.
Seraphin is ferocious as they come. Though she is a small, unassuming woman, she has never once in her life backed down from a fight. Familiar with the rougher walks of life, she is not one to be pushed around. She is as fiery as they come, unflinching in the face of conflict. She's also bold. She is not one to shy away from taking dangerous risks or undertaking difficult jobs. She is vicious, never one to hold back when she is engaged in an argument or fight. She is also brilliant. She's an accountant and great with numbers and though her feisty and fiery attitude might suggest she doesn't think before she leaps, she never undertakes a challenge she cannot overcome. She has been tested time and time again and every time, she emerges victorious. In addition to that, she's very defensive and loyal to the few who possess her love and affection. She will not stand aside and let harm come to them. She will also never stray from her allegiance. Her word is her promise.
Seraphin hasn't had a very easy life growing up, but she's never been one to let that bring her down. She was raised by a single mother since her father left her and her mother in her youth and ended up pulled out of school at a young age due to a lack of finances and a bad situation at home. Her mother ended up falling ill and she ended up working as a prostitute to put food on the table and buy medication for her mom. After her mother passed away and she was at an all time low, she met Alphonse and at his insistence pursued a degree in accounting. After they put together a family and had more to worried about, she insisted that Alphonse find a safer place for the Fourniers to settle down and he listened to her pleas. Ever since then, they've found their home at Berkley for over a decade where she's stayed while her husband comes and goes.
married to alphonse fournier. biological mother of camille, cyrille, and colette fournier. adoptive mother to ivan, jerome, dione, irene, alexandra, and eliane fournier. in an open marriage, is also in a relationship with monique legrand xx accountant xx bisexual
male || forty seven || akita inu
Isao dislikes being called cute, but that seems to be the best descriptor for his animal form. A lithe and fluffy white akita inu, it's hard not to find his canine form adorable given their reputation as man's best friend. With his soulful dark brown eyes and bright pink nose and ears, it's a little difficult not to ruffle his head or grab his cheeks.
Isao is a man that commands attention in many ways, but appearance is definitely not it. He stands at 5'9" and has a lithe and limber build. It doesn't seem like much, but he's never been focused on strength rather choosing to hone precision and speed. He's built of sinewy muscles used to work. It gives him a rather thinner appearance than most would expect but his broad shoulders and unfazed posture make up for his less than threatening appearance. He has black hair that is kept short. It's silky and sometimes, when it has the chance to grow out, covers his eyes. He has dark brown eyes with laugh lines at the corners, the only sign of his age alongside his frown lines. He has something of a beard forming, but it's mostly just stubble. He doesn't ever shave fully since it makes him appear too young, but the beard appears too unkempt. He has a very powerful voice, it travels far and is a statement towards his character. Underneath his clothes, he has a number of scars though it's nothing far too noticeable. If someone watches him closely, there's a slight limp in his step. During especially bad days, he seems to favor his left side if not discreetly so. If he rolls up his left pant leg, there's a nasty scar across his kneecap that is hard to miss. Isao has a large horimono tattoo on him. It spreads on both his pecs down his arms, stopping at the wrist, across his back, down his buttocks, ending at his thighs around his knee. The tattoo has black water like waves and clouds down them accented by greens of foliage and pinks of peonies, a consistent theme on his arms and legs to make a centerpiece around a large black phoenix accented with red.
Isao's appearance isn't terrifying or intimidating, but it's the manner in which he holds himself that garners him respect. There's a certain air of aloofness to him that makes him, to an outsider, seem cold. He's not all that cold when someone gets to know him. He's a lot more reserved in his mannerisms and a lot less expressive in his features. His responses are just duller and it takes a lot to rile him up. That's not to say he's a distant man by any stretch. He's actually very good at assimilating among a crowd, becoming unnoticed and falling casually into conversation. He's a stern man with a very serious disposition, not often allowing people to waste his time. It makes for a very no-nonsense personality. Putting it side by side with his thoughtful nature that can only be shown in the precision of his words and the manner in which he handles himself, it makes him seem hard to approach despite the fact that he devotes his life to those he cares about. He also has a habit of speaking in a manner that sounds like he speaks in absolutes, inexorable in his ways. It's probably what allows him to have such a commanding aura in the first place. He utilizes both skill and certainty to impress upon others that his opinion is one worth listening to. It's hard to imagine someone like him to have an aura of sadness lingering around him, clinging to him like a constant. But its always there, persistent and permanent. Sometimes, even stifling. But despite all that, he tries to be as welcoming as possible and though he doesn't make a habit of giving out compliments, when he does it's from the bottom of his heart. He is dignified, but there's something decisively lonely about him.
Isao's entire life hasn't been led in constant fear. Due to the domesticity of his animal form, it was easy for his parents to claim that Isao had left the house and that he was the family's pet. As a result, he grew up in the city where he ended up enlisting and falling in love with Hanako, the daughter of a highly affluential politician. They lived a quiet life together, Hanako as a florist and he as a soldier. However, when giving birth to Tenshi, their second child, Hanako died during child birth. Later on his son, Masahiro, enlisted in the military following his father's footsteps and was killed in action. Left with nothing but Tenshi, he devoted his life to her and isolated himself from others until he met Yu Xingfu. After finding out how much Tenshi cherished shifting, he decided to resign from his post of major general and came to Berkley where she would be able to shift more freely.
husband to fuyu hanako [deceased], father of fuyu masahiro [deceased] and fuyu tenshi, currently dating yu xingfu xx head keeper xx bisexual
male || forty five || red crowned crane
Satoshi's animal form is graceful and beautiful. In Satoshi's opinion, it's everything his human form is not. Soulful and a creature that symbolizes longevity and happiness, the snow white feathers of his animal form is pure and unstained. He looks just like any other red crowned crane but his eyes seem more vicious than others'. His wingspan is nearly 8 ft long and he stands at about 5 feet.
Satoshi has never found himself anything other than average. He stands at about 5'7" and weighs in around 160 lbs with a muscular physique from constant activity. He has a light tan complexion and haunted black eyes. He wears glasses due to his bad vision and has slightly overgrown dark brown wavy hair. He's said to have a nice smile but they're rare and few in between. He has several faint scars across his back, upper arms, torso, and legs. The most noticeable of them include a large scar at his left shoulder and one particularly nasty one on his right thigh. Across his back, he has a large tattoo of a phoenix, invoking upon the Japanese art style despite not getting a full matching munewari or donburi soshinbori to match with it.
There's many things people come to realize about Satoshi the second they meet him. He doesn't mince his words and he's not one to really become emotionally invested in anything unless it's something truly engaging. There's a certain aura of bitterness and cynicism that clings to him not matter where he goes. He's got a very world weary attitude, like no matter how much he sleeps he'll always be tired and no amount of rest could ever heal his soul. His words and eyes are equally haunted and it's hard to tell what caused him to be so tired and despondent all the time, but sometimes, around the right people he seems to be a little more forgiving than usual.
Satoshi was born in a small rural village in Japan where visitors were rare and few in between and everybody knew everybody. The village didn't seem to mind the random appearances of non-native species, sometimes taking great joy in their appearances as if they were messengers or kindred spirits. Childhood was quiet for Satoshi and, due to his festering nationalism, he enlisted in the military where he met Yuki. When he traveled overseas, leaving behind a pregnant Yuki, he returned home to find out that his wife and child had died during childbirth. Leaving the military, Satoshi has been travelling to find a sense of purpose again and much to his annoyance he's been pestered into joining Berkley by Masanori. Sometimes Satoshi swears he'll strangle the man.
husband to himura yuki [deceased] xx animal trainer xx demisexual
male || forty two || huntsman spider
As far as spiders go, the huntsman are notably terrifying for their impossibly large size. Susumu is no different if not a little larger than the usual which.... is already very large. He's a large brown spider with long nimble legs and beady brown eyes. It's a terrifying sight to behold.
Susumu is something of an anomaly. He keeps to himself, he's quiet, and he doesn't appear like much other than trouble. With cropped short black hair and dark brown eyes, he's got handsome sculpted features reminiscent of his mixed race heritage. Though his eyes are distinctly monolid his complexion and nose are more of European descent. He stands at about 5'9" and he's built with well developed muscles. His body is heavily scarred, his most notable scar is on the left side of his face from just above his cheek bone to underneath his lip. He has a large tattoo of three skulls over his chest, a large anemone tattoo on his neck, and two sleeves. The one on his right is covered with imagery of snakes and scorpions. The left seems to depict what looks like a war zone with Ares standing in the center hovering over dead corpses with a clock above it. He has a large tattoo on his back of the grim reaper on his back.
Anybody who's ever interacted with Susumu seems to have the same impression of him. He's not very talkative and when he does speak it's not very empathetic or impressible at all. He's a very practical man which makes him very cold and calculated and in turn very difficult to form connections or bonds with. He's not a man who looks actively to be sociable or even friendly. Sometimes it's questionable as to whether or not he really wants any attention or concern. It's hard to tell considering how much he isolates himself from others save for with Artem who he's taken to considering they arrived at the zoo together. Those who have witnessed him in action do know two things for sure. He's relentless and he's cruel, there's a mean streak in him that isn't surprising but also probably not warmly received. Sometimes, he even shifts into his spider form just to scare people. There's no saying why. Maybe he thinks it's funny. Maybe he's just finding a high isolated place to be alone.
Susumu was orphaned at a young age. Vulnerable and defenseless, he was taken in by a human named Watanabe Takeshi who was part of an organization known as Shoku or ECLIPSE. The organization was involved in experimentation of shapeshifters and weaponizing them. They trained nameless and faceless professional assassins under 'Project Rebirth', an experimental program in which Susumu met Artem. He and Artem became fast friends and when Artem cut his ties with ECLIPSE and burnt his bridges and took on a new identity, Susumu followed suit. The duo have been living a quieter life at Berkley ever since.
family unknown, surrogate son of watanabe takeshi [deceased], adoptive brother of artem vasylyk xx animal trainer xx homoromantic demisexual
f || 35 || black widow
Her spider form is shiny black in color with a red hourglass on the underside of her abdomen. In this form she measures 13 millimeters, a large specimen of her species. Her eight legs are long and spindly and she has a pair of fangs that can inject venom that causes pain.
A mature tall woman with long silky black hair and pretty red eyes. She is always wearing something different and it's usually something she has made herself. Her sense of fashion can get a bit... weird and a lot of the things she makes end up not making it to the store. Her eyes are usually more brown looking than red so she does not stand out too much in the human crowds, though sometimes her clothing makes her stand out just fine. Her canine teeth are sharper and longer than an average persons.
Charlotte is an extremely charismatic person and a professional sales person. She has tenacity and will often not let you out of her 'web' unless you buy something. She is talented with most material and can make a lot of items. Just ask and she can probably give you it, for the right price. Even if she doesn't know how give her a few hours and she'll learn. She has a flirtatious attitude and will get in your comfort zone before you know what is happening. Despite this she is not currently seeing anyone.
Charlotte is of English decent and has an English accent. Her half brother is Sokeri. She lived in England for the majority of her before joining the Zoo. Her early life was an easy one with a loving family. Soon after she turned eight her mother died and her father left her with her grandparents. Her grandparents were just a loving but Charlotte could never quite forgive her father. Her father returned when she was in her twenties with a half Japanese son, Sokeri. Ever since then Sokeri and Charlotte have been close, though her half brother is much more forgiving of her father than she is.
Her brother is Sokeri xx Gift Shop Manager xx She is pansexual.
female || twenty-six || bottle nose dolphin
Marcella's animal form is very average - she resembles your every day, generic bottle nose dolphin.
Marcella, or Marcie as most people call her, is a bit taller than the average woman, around 5'9". She has long, soft black ringlets of hair that she manages to tame with the help of major product addition. She is a bit on the lighter end of the skin-tone spectrum. Her eyebrows are always on point - if nothing else, she does her eyebrows. She tends to wear large, long-sleeve sweaters with light wash skinny jeans and converse or low wedges. Her eyes are a deep black-brown.
Marcie is pretty bold and blunt. She tends to be a bit harsh, and sometimes is meaner than she needs to be when someone has done something wrong. She hates people who act stupid, and if you lack common sense she probably won't like you at all. She means well, though, and loves fiercely where she gives it. She's not the type to openly admit her feelings - she'd rather show them through sweet gestures and kind words.
Marcie came to the zoo pretty early on, because her family moved here. They've since moved on, though some stay at the zoo, but a good portion of her family move away once they mastered the shift.
open to family xx animal trainer xx pansexual
Zoo Members
(veterinarians, keepers, tour guides, veterinary technicians, general staff, animals)
male || fifty seven || grey wolf
Nan Xin's wolf form is not a pure breed. It's very easy to tell from the pitch black fur of his coat that he's probably got some husky in him, but his features are feral nonetheless and his amber eyes only give off a dangerous vibe to him. There's something about him that seems like if you turn your back on him, he won't hesitate to pounce on you. His muzzle is covered in white fur and his neck scar leaves a bald patch that is mostly covered by his fur.
There are very few who can claim that they know what Nan Xin looks like. He always seems to be wearing pesky layers regardless of the weather. He's always seen in hooded jackets with face masks. Sometimes he'll wear a cap or some kind of hat. It makes it really hard to pinpoint his age or what he even looks like outside of the slightly curly white silver hair, light tan skin, and amber eyes. There are two jagged scars going over the left side of his face, one crossing directly over his eye. He also has a scar across his neck though it's usually hidden.
Nan Xin's kind of a loner. He's not interested in getting involved with big crowds, he's an ambivert that leans more towards being an introvert than extrovert. He doesn't mind one on one conversations or small groups and it's when his biting wit gets to rear its head. He has absolutely no shame and he makes terrible jokes that make people cringe. He's mysterious and never talks about himself. He's got a very wolfish laziness to him and he's pretty laid back. He's not really that expressive outwardly either unless he wants to be, usually regardless of the situation it's hard to catch him by surprise. He also considers himself something of a sass master and he's a Terrible individual to be around because he'll probably kill your brain cells.
Nan Xin has always been something of a loner, but at least his heart was always in the right place. As a child, he took to hear the Buddhist teachings at the Shaolin Temples in Dengfeng. That was where he met a younger Xingfu that he wasn't fond of and came to ignore until later in his life. He continued onto to pursue a career as a surgeon until his family was killed by hunters. He was caught up in the attack but survived it and ended up becoming something of a vigilante killer by the title "Wolf" who hunted criminals for other criminals. After a hit gone wrong on Xingfu, he ended up aligning himself with Xingfu. Nowadays, he hangs around Berkley in the shadows as a surgeon specializing in the treatment of lethal injuries.
family deceased, blood brother to yu xingfu xx veterinarian, surgeon xx bisexual
male || forty nine || polar bear
Artem's animal form is very much like his human form. He's an absolute unit.and he knows it. He's 10 ft tall in this form and 700 kg of muscle and fat. He's got nice white and cream fur though there are some golden cream patches that are signs of aging and have a near similar shade to his hair. He's got a nasty scar over his snout and over his right eye and his amber eyes are ever present and vicious. He looks damn huggable though.
Artem's a massive man. He stands at about 6'4" and is built like a tank with a strong and bulky build that makes it seem as if any sort of hit would just be a glancing blow to him. He has short spiky dirty blonde hair that has a very wavy texture to it and amber eyes. He always seems to have a beard that is well groomed. He also has a spider bite piercing on his left lip and he has heavy scarring all over his body. His arms are covered in knife scars, same with his torso and back. He also has multiple bullet scars and a scar running on the left side of his face from his forehead to his cheek. He has a tattoo of a bear along his right forearm. In addition to that, he has a tattoo on his chest of a skull with a clock inside of it surrounding by cogs and gears of a machine.
Artem's a bit of a piece of work. He's got a terrible sense of humor so most jokes he says usually falls flat, but given his massive build and gruff features, it's hard not to laugh even if it's just nervously. That's probably one of the main reasons why he's a terrible choice for tour guide duty among other reasons. He's also a very focused and calculated man, sometimes he hyper focuses to the point in which if the conversation is about anything other than what he's fixated on it doesn't seem to matter at all to him and goes in one ear and out the other. He's also very confident in his abilities and his physiche, some would even dare say he's cocky but within reason. He's also prideful and abhors losing. His rage isn't pretty because as funny as one would imagine him shouting and losing it would be, that's not what happens. He glowers and sulks. It's not a good time.
Artem doesn't know his biological parents. Born and raised in the cruel streets of Ukraine, Artem had found himself involved in various criminal activities in his youth in order to survive. His actions piqued the interst of an organization known as ECLIPSE that was involved in experimentation of shapeshifters and weaponizing them. They trained nameless and faceless professional assassins under 'Project Rebirth', an experimental program in which Artem met Susumu. He and Susumu became fast friends and he found that he was rather fond of the younger shifter. When Artem cut his ties with ECLIPSE and burnt his bridges and took on a new identity, he invited Susumu to leave with him. The duo have been living a quieter life at Berkley ever since.
family unknown, adoptive brother to nakano susumu, in a relationship with alphonse fournier xx tour guide xx demiromantic bisexual
female || forty eight || nile crocodile
Monique's animal form comes as a surprise to some but she quite enjoys it. She's able to shift into a nile crocodile that spans a total of 12.5 ft long. She's got dark bronze coloration with a yellow belly and black spots and stripes as well as attentive green eyes. She's got a scar over her left front arm in this form.
Monique is a woman with a very well toned build. She has lean arms and long legs and stands at about 5'10", being rather tall for a woman of her age. She's got long wavy dark brown hair, sculpted cheekbones, and pink lips with large green eyes and curved arched brows. She's got a warm olive complexion and she doesn't have any noticeable scars other than a nasty scrape on her left elbow and right wrist.
Monique is a very observant woman, very little gets by her. She's got an eye for detail and she's also got very good memory. Combine those two traits together with a knack for getting into trouble, Monique is one hell of a spitfire. She doesn't let anyone push her around much less those she care about. She's very direct about her emotions as well and she'll always be blunt and honest as possible. She doesn't care if people consider her unrefined or graceless, she says what's on her mind and does what she feels is right. Her priority is in the people around her rather than the more philosophical matters such as right and wrong, good and bad. She's a very practical woman with a very narrow worldview. Once somebody gains her trust, they have her devotion and come hell or high water, she's a complete ride or die.
An orphan from youth, Monique is used to having to fend for herself. She grew up on the streets and didn't have much of an education growing up, instead she ended up leaning into crime and picking up stealing to get by. However, eventually she outgrew her value in that industry for the gang she worked for and ended up falling into prostitution rings where she met and befriended Seraphin. The two have been close friends - and a little something more - ever since then. Even after Seraphin met and married Alphonse, they stayed in touch and eventually under Seraphin's insistence she accepted the Fourniers help to go and pursue an education. Nowadays, she works as a veterinarian at Berkley.
family deceased, in a relationship with seraphin fournier xx veterinarian xx pansexual
male || forty six || cownose ray
Atlantic's animal form is that of a rather overgrown cownose ray. His width is about 5 ft and he's quite large for his species which is something he's rather smug about. He's got a brownish back with a white underbelly and it's hard to notice his eyes much in this form so very few notice his distinct lazy eye.
Atlantic might not be very tall, but he's certainly eyecatching. Standing at 5'9", he's pretty average in terms of height but it's quite easy to catch his shock of blue hair in a crowd. He's got well groomed teal hair brushed back with and it's obvious he spends a lot of time on his hair even though he always seems to have a persistent cowlick. Sometimes it's cyan, other times it's blue. It mostly depends on what he's feeling. His eyebrows and boxed beard however aren't dyed showcasing the natural color of his black hair though his beard is salt and pepper. He has a boxy face shape and sculpted cheeks bones. His eyes are black in color and it's to be noted that his left eye exhibits symptoms of lazy eye and it's slower to open and close than his right eye. There's a long scar running over his left eye and he has another scar across the right corner of his lips.
Atlantic is a composed and articulate man. He never seems to be entirely bothered by anything making him seem to be an almost carefree individual. He has no concept of privacy either, seemingly believing any information is free game. He's pretty laid back and easily amused with a rather cocky personality. He's pretty reasonable and he's got a very business-like aura to him that suggests he's quite good at brokering deals and trades. He's pretty secretive though and getting him to talk about anything is a challenge that feels very much like a game of chess where one has to volunteer information for him to give anything back in return. Overall, Atlantic excels at being utterly difficult and frustrating.
Atlantic grew up in Vietnam, born near the end of the Vietnam War to a Vietnamese mother and a French father. As a result, he's had his fair share of grievances for his status as a mixed race child. He didn't have an outstanding education in his youth, especially since his father moved to France when he was too young to remember. He grew up in the harsh streets and became very familiar with the intricacies and politics of criminal organizations. He eventually moved to the states as an illegal immigrant with his mother where he started to building an organization of informants who specialize in getting the most controversial news regarding criminal organization, militant, and criminal movements as well as hunters. He also deals in arms. Due to his lingering relations with Alphonse, he's got some sort of strange loyalty to Berkley.
family unknown, in a relationship with alphonse fournier xx keeper/informant xx homosexual
Mortimer's animal appearance is that of your standard kinkajou, with a gold coat, grey undercoat, tiny rounded ears, and large dark eyes. He has a very long tongue, which he loves to stick out at people when in his animal form.
Mortimer is a portly man with rounded facial features. His hair is brown and wavy, and is coupled with a medium-length beard and mustache. His eyes are dark brown, and rimmed with many laugh lines. His skin is a tan color, and has several small blemishes and scars dotting its surface. Mortimer is near-sighted, so he constantly wears a pair of think-rimmed black glasses. As for clothing, he loves wearing soft and loose fabrics, so he can often be found wearing sweatpants and flannel shirts.
Mortimer is a huge goof, and will try and make a joke out of anything. It's his way of relaxing tense conversations, and regardless of whether or not it's working, he'll keep going until physical fighting breaks out. Many of these jokes are bad dad jokes. He's had a lot of practice on his three children. He loves his kids perhaps even more than his wife, always supporting them in everything they do. He'll always show up for school events, zoo events, or anything else where one of his kids is playing a major role. He has goofy nicknames for all his kids, in addition to the standard affectionate 'baby names'. Although his kids might see this as him being clingy, he really believes that to succeed you need to be confident in what you're doing. What better way to give his kids confidence than going and cheering them on? Mortimer gets attached very easily, though, and his big heart has come back to bite him more than once.
Mortimer made his way to the zoo a little over 20 years ago, seeking safety for himself and his brother Kenneth. This is where he met his wife, Zoya. They quickly hit it off(despite their conflicting personalities), and it wasn't long before their relationship got serious. Kenneth, however, was never content with staying trapped in the zoo, and left right after his brother's first daughter was born. Mortimer tried to convince him to stay, but he knew his brother was always free-spirited. He would have gone off with him, but now he had a family to take care of. Mortimer doesn't know where Kenneth is, or if he's even still alive. But he does know one thing- the zoo has kept him and his family safe, and he'd be a fool to let any of them leave again.
father to Marlowe(Mar-o), Quill(Q), and Devlin(Linny). Married to Zoya. xx tour guide xx other
male || forty three || japanese macaque
Masanori has the same energetic and curious appearance as other Japanese macaque. His cream/golden brown fur is fluffy and fuzzy, sticking out erratically at weird angles just like his hair and his red face accentuates the intelligence and mischievousness in his brown eyes. His features in his animal form is highly expressive, even more so than his human form and always seems to have a sense of childlike wonder. He's a pretty average sized macaque, neither larger or smaller than the others' of his species.
Masanori is a lanky man with a lean muscled build. He stands at about 5'9" and brandishes a smile like a weapon. He never seems to be without one regardless of the situation. He has a tan complexion and short spiky brown hair. His dark brown eyes are soulful and expressive. He has a nagasode tattoo of a red koi swimming up river with red cherry blossoms scattered in the water on his right arm.
A trickster by nature, Masanori always seems painfully cheerful even when it seems like he shouldn't be. He's got a knack for humor and loves pulling practical jokes. He doesn't enjoy uncomfortable situations and his jokes sometimes even put him in a rough spot. He's got a biting edge tongue with scalding sarcasm and he's a complete smartass. Sometimes it's hard to tell if he takes anybody seriously, much less himself. However, when situations become tense and serious, he doesn't seem to have any problems with kicking into gear and being useful even if he's annoying as hell the entire time he does so. He's ridiculously extroverted and sometimes it's a wonder where he gets all his energy from because he never seems to tire.
Masanori was formerly a marksman, a gun for hire with mercenary experience. He found himself on the road a lot, travelling from place to place getting involved in tactical ops and gunfights and completely out of sight and mind of hunters. However, when he settled down in his early thirties with Ishi and had Tsubasa in his late thirties, things changed for him. The sedentary lifestyle had made his family vulnerable despite their nonviolence and the Takahashi household was attacked and left in ruins. Masanori had unfortunately survived the attack and has taken refuge in Berkley ever since. He doesn't talk about his past much nor does he mention his family. Many assume he just doesn't have one to talk about. He always wears a dog tag necklace with the name 'tsubasa' engraved on it.
husband of takahashi ishi [deceased], father to takahashi tsubasa [deceased] xx tour guide xx pansexual
female || thirty three || iridescent earth snake
Ying Yue's animal form is similar to most other iridescent earth snakes. Her scales are highly iridescent and have a layer of dark pigmentation underneath them allowing her scales to be more iridescence. Under the captivating glow of her scales, it's truly hard to notice her brown eyes at all.
Ying Yue considers herself something of a fashionista. She enjoys dyeing her hair multiple colors and keeps it cut short and styled neatly. Whenever in doubt, she falls back to the bleached hair look. She has a peachy complexion, dark brows that contrast with her white hair, and rosy cheeks. Her lips are pink and full and her eyes are a warm shade of brown. She's got a few scars, though they're not very noticeable or memorable. She also has a watercolor tattoo of a small fox leaving prints behind in the snow on her right shoulder with the words "The next step is adventure" written in Malay.
Ying Yue, otherwise known as Yvonne, has always been something of a drifter. She's never settled down anywhere in her life, the call to adventure and thrill always winning over any sense of duty or belonging. She likes moving and though it's hard to tell at first given her calm and calculated personality, she'a very enthusiastic and fiery individual if one looks closely. Her mentality is very collected and precise, but her heart longs for adventure and fun. It's almost a reflection on the animal she shifts into. Initial reads into her persona are rather deceiving. Ying Yue is a pretty sociable individual, but a little blunt and forthcoming with her opinions which can be harsh at times. She's also has poor control over her monetary gains and her impulse control in anything that isn't life threatening or utterly embarrassing seems to be nonexistent at times.
Ying Yue comes from an influential aristocratic lineage of shapeshifters. She's never really understood the outside world and the dangers that come with being a shifter due to her family's massive estate and extended family in Singapore. Nobody's ever been able to come across any of the Lees in their animal forms or if they do, they usually assume it's an expensive exotic pet the Lees can afford. As she grew up and studied abroad, however, she was exposed to the reality of their situation. Against her parents wishes and due to her own desire to become more involved in a world outside of her pocket of safety, she found herself at the Berkley Zoo. Though not one to be troubled by fiscal problems or even forced into requiring any occupational experience outside of business management, Ying Yue has found herself a spot in the zoo as a tour guide. It's a simple job with an average salary, but something about being surrounded by new faces and new shifters while being in constant risk seems to make everything worth it to her.
daughter of lee feng mian and lee zhi ruo, sister to lee mo chou xx tour guide xx homosexual
m || 27 || flamingo
In his animal form he is a large bird with a long neck, stick like legs and pink feathers. The tip of his beak looks like it was tipped in ink. His feathers are bright and vibrant, reflecting his good health. He likes to keep his feathers orderly and clean, much like he likes to be well put together in his human form.
Laurent has long pink hair with pretty blue eyes. His hair is usually tied back and slung over his shoulder. If anyone were to ask he would say his hair was dyed, but the pink is natural. His clothing is always fashionable and comfortable. His build is long and lanky. Laurent is at least 60% legs. He has a nasty scar around his neck.
Laurent is flamboyant, and likes to grab the attention of those around him. He is pretty sympathetic, honest, gentlemanly, and kind, but all of this is nearly over shadowed by the fact he is a hopeless competitive showoff. He is not happy until he is the center of attention and will often do foolish things to get the attention he craves. To others he may seem foolish but Laurent it actually quite smart. He can read a situation and is good with others emotions. If you need relationship advice he's the one to go to.
Laurent hails from France and won't let you forget it. He came to the zoo after nearly being killed by a hunter, an incident that left a mark on him. After the injury had healed he took the long trip to the Zoo and ever since settling in there has been a proud member.
N/A xx General Staff xx He is gay.
m || 23 || peregrine falcon
His back and the long pointed wings are bluish black with with indistinct darker barrings.His wingtips are white. His white under belly is barred with thin clean bands of black that matches his other feathers. His eyes are the same golden color as they are in his human form. He has long sharp talons and is slightly smaller than the average falcon.
A lithe man with tidy black hair and amber eyes. He always has a pair of aviator glasses around his neck and is often seen wearing a coat with a fluffy hood and cuffs. He is somewhat short for a male his age, though it doesn't bother him all that much. Sokeri is quick on his feet and athletically built.
If Sokeri and Charlotte share anything it's that they'll do just about anything for the right price. Sokeri is very laid back and doesn't expect much form himself or others until he gets paid to care. Despite his overall "put together" look he is mischievous and a prankster. Preferring to cause trouble and disappear. When he was younger he was incredibly shy but grew out of it. Now he only gets nervous and shy when he is put in front of a large crowd. Sokeri could be described as quite, but in reality he prefers to listen to others and only inputs his own opinion or thoughts when he thinks it's necessary.
Sokeri has both English and Japanese lineage, but has never been to the latter. He lived most of his life with Charlotte and came to the Zoo the same time as she did. Sokeri would one day like to visit Japan, though knows that with hunters around he might never be able to. The early death of his father meant he never got attached but made him closer with his sister. They are a tight-knit family.
His sister is Charlotte xx Performer xx He is bisexual
female || 23 || white-tail deer
as a deer fawn is what you would except from a white-tail. in the summer her coat is a soft brown and in the winter it changes to more of a gray-brown.
in her human form fawn has a natural tan look to her, never pale-skinned. she has long caramel brown hair with soft green eyes.
fawn is a friendly person, a natural social butterfly. she loves being around others and could very easily be described as an extrovert. this has, more often than not, led her to stepping over some boundaries before, as she may be social, but reading the expressions of others is not her strong suit. she's perky and bubbly, that's for sure, and not one to look on the pessimistic side of things. she likes seeing the good in people and has a hard time seeing the bad. this leads her to trusting much too easily as well, something that could perhaps one day get her in trouble.
fawn was born and raised in the zoo, but she did come from one shifter parent and one non-shifter parent. her mother, a deer shifter as well, got herself in a little twist when she had an on and off fling with a charming man who lived outside the zoo. luckily fawn's mother was charismatic and smart enough to find ways to hide the shifter secret, and before ever having fawn she broke it off with guy. fawn has never known her father other than from what her mother has told her about him.
n/a xx tour guide xx pansexual
female || 22 || Nigerian Dwarf Goat
Cherry's animal form is that of a Nigerian Dwarf Goat, quite contrary to what would be expected. Her red hair carries over into the goat's coat, which appears to be a reddish brown hue with white splotches. Her horns are thin but long, curving back over her ears. One ear is notched from a scar on her human form, but other than this there are very few noticeable marks. Her eyes are dark brown, similar to most animals. Just like in her human form, Cherry is a very small goat, standing at half the height of a normal goat. She also has a very soft coat, as she tried to keep it in perfect condition. This means she's popular with the kids at the petting zoo, which she absolutely despises.
Cherry's human form takes on the appearance of a short, lean female, not standing above five feet. Her skin is pale and spattered with faint freckles, a few long scars snaking their way around her petite features. Her hair is long, wavy, and crimson, parted with swooping bangs towards the left. Her eyes are dark green, the color itself hard to notice. When Cherry is spending time in her human form, she'll usually go through the effort of putting some makeup on, but won't bother if it's just for a quick stunt. Her clothing normally consists of a tight tank top, slim-fitting jeans, and thigh-high combat boots.
Cherry will bite your head off, both verbally and physically. Despite her small stature, she's as fierce as they get, never backing down from a fight. She's extremely stubborn and outspoken, and always follows through on her decisions. Despite being at the zoo for going on 3 years now, Cherry has never been promoted from her animal position because of these rebellious traits, something that only makes her more frustrated. She believes the zoo should take the fight to the hunters and go on the offensive, instead of just being a sanctuary, something she views as cowardly. After all, how can you protect shifters better than taking away their biggest threat?
Cherry grew up in a small household, with her two shifter parents and older brother. All of her family were intent on living a quiet life as humans, but Cherry wanted to use her gift. Her activities brought unwanted attention to her family, and one night while she was out, all of them were taken away for experimentation. Cherry blames herself for this, and vowed to take down her family's captors, whatever it took. She at first attempted this by breaking into the first laboratory she found, which... didn't end too well. Cherry was forced to run away, and had to keep running until she made it to the zoo, which offered her a hiding place away from the officials hunting her down. Cherry's been lying low for 3 years now, and hates every moment of it. However, she keeps faith that if her family escapes, they'll be able to find their way to the zoo and reunite with her.
n/a xx animal xx she's beaten up a small child in the petting zoo more than once, and has a reputation among parents.
male || twenty-one || maned wolf
In his animal form, Kaden is just like any other maned wolf, albeit slightly larger than normal. He has fiery, reddish-orange fur that grows lighter around the base of his tail and his jaw, and gets darker around his chest and lower legs. He has white points on the tip of his tail and his chin, and his legs and part of his neck fur are black-brown.
Kaden Jones gives off the pirate vibe. You know the one. The 'this guy looks like he could mug me or dip me like we're doing the tango' vibe. He has rugged cheekbones and jawline, covered in a near permanent 5 o' clock shadow. His soft green eyes pop against his dusky black hair, which is always styled in a messy sort of fashion. His outfit of choice is typically skintight leather pants, boots(usually combat), a solid tee, and a leather jacket, unless it's hot out.
Kaden is, well, Kaden. There's no easy way to pin him. He's a huge flirt, a rambunctious punk, and a mischief fiend. He loves to get intro trouble and then 'cute' his way out of it. However, he isn't always fun and games. When someone he cares about is threatened, he loses the care-free attitude and goes colder than the arctic. Kaden isn't afraid to throw hands, and he has done so on more than one occasion, though not at the zoo. He's fiercely protective, especially of the kids, and is usually the first to jump to their defense. He has a knack for holding grudges, which has been known to get him in trouble, and he tends to get very angry very quickly. He means well, though, and tries not to let his temper get the best of him.
Kaden has been with the zoo for a while, though not as long as others. He came in during his early teenage years, when he was first gaining control of his shift. He's stayed since then, because he feels that the people of the zoo are more like a family to him than the parents he never knew, and he loves to work with them. His favorite thing to do as a guide is joke around with the visitors about being able to 'speak to the animals'.
open to family xx tour guide xx bisexual
m || 17 || sea otter
Mika, in his animal form, has exceptionally thick white fur that keeps him warm in the coldest of waters. His fur is slick and he is adequate and quick in the water. He is an average size for a sea otter and is, like most otters, very adorable. The attention does wonders for his complex.
Mika has shorter white-grey hair and deep blue eyes. His hair is thick and soft to the touch. He is of average height and is built like a swimmer. Mika is rarely cold and as such wears t-shirts with shorts for the most part. The most he'll wear during the winter is a light jacket. Mika loves music and wears headphones around his neck.
Mika has a smug yet flippant attitude on the outside. He is falsely cheerful and has more than once followed up a cheerful comment with something slightly off or intimidating. Mika is very prideful and will sometimes get an inferiority complex towards those he sees as better than him. This in turn will lead him to push himself harder to become better in his own eyes. Even if he hates others criticizing him he will look down on himself the most. Mika is interested in and spends most of his time watching crime related tv shows. He may not mention it but he would very much like to go into some field of Forensic Science.
Mika was also born in the Zoo. He, more than once, has left the Zoo without permission and enjoys not having to be caged in there. Mika is planning on going to a college whether he is allowed to or not. Mika is dangerously not bothered by the idea of hunters and one day it might just get him killed. His mother had raised him until he was about 12 before she died to her chronic disease. Thankfully Mika is in good health. He misses her often but has taken her love of knowledge and incorporated it into his own life.
N/A xx Animal xx He is bisexual.
f || 16 || bullet ant
In her bullet ant form, Stephanie looks like, well an ant. Tiny and ferocious, her ant form is has a faint red tint rather than just being solid black, and large pincers give the creature a freakish face. One of her antennae is slightly crooked, a quirk that she's never been able to fix despite her best efforts.
Stephanie always looks like she's in the middle of a crisis. Standing at 5'11", the teenager is both tall and covered in strong muscles (and you know she lifts). Her skin is a rich caramel color, and in it's natural color her hair is a dark brown, reflecting her Hispanic heritage. However, like many teenagers, she seems to constantly be dying it. Her favorite colors are usually on the darker spectrum (dark purples or blues). Her eyes are a dark brown, so dark that they appear black until under direct light. When it comes to outfits, Stephanie has a love of leather, distressed pants, and beanies. Most of her outfits lie on the black-and-white spectrum, and she doesn't often add color variety out of laziness. She has a silver bracelet with a single arrow charm that she seems to constantly be wearing, and she has a single tattoo along her spine of a similar arrow, the words "shoot for the heart" curling around it.
Stephanie Kelley is the hugest tech nerd one will ever meet. She's constantly inventing and improving technologies, whether it be adapting normal cellphones into communicators that can remain in the ear of a shifter as the change between forms, or simply "fixing" the vending machines so that they give her free candy whenever she punches in the right number. She is constantly in motion, pacing back and forth, talking with her hands, you name it. Stephanie isn't the biggest extrovert, and would much rather spend her evening tinkering in the insect house, than gallivanting around past curfew with a group of friends. However, she much prefers working in groups and with friends. She's a strong believer in think tanks, and will take anyone's advice to heart. She is still a teenager, however, and she can be fairly quippy and sarcastic to authoritative figures. Her rebellions thus far has been mostly benign, sneaking outside of the zoo to attend a couple parties, minor shoplifting for new supplies, and stinging someone who cut her in line at Starbucks.
Stephanie was born in Chicago, Illinois to Charlotte and Kyle Kelley, and while her father was a full shifter, her mother wasn't able to shift herself. Her father, a coyote shifter, was caught and killed by hunters when she was six years old, and in a panic, her mother took her down south to try and protect her daughter. When she was ten, her mother was diagnosed with a particularly fierce autoimmune disease. She finally passed on Stephanie's twelfth birthday. Mourning, the young shifter was put in foster care, were she once again had a run in with hunters. Barely escaping, she stumbled upon Berkley Zoo by accident. She was kind of adopted by the zoo in whole, and was homeschooled by the old director's wife rather than attending public middle school. Now she takes online courses at a near by high school, and spends most of her days tinkering and doing regular maintenance of zoo facilities. Her goal is to become the next operations director, but even now she doubts that she'll be able to accomplish this.
her parents are Charlotte Kelley and Kyle Kelley xx general staff xx n/a
In her animal form she is dark brown in color, with white highlights. She has a stocky body, a small face, short legs, and a short, thick tail.
A short and spunky girl with unruly brown hair. Her eyes are dark brown. The tips of her spiky hair are white.
Despite her 'spiky' looks Quill is actually quite warm. She is easily approached once you get to know her and she is always bright. "Look before you leap" is not a phrase in her vocabulary and she'll go into everything she does full throttle. Grace can get embarrassed easily. Quill still has a childish personality at 15 and will likely have it for the rest of her life. She is excitable and will get swept up in nearly anything that has fired up emotions.
Quill was born and raised in the Zoo. Unlike her youngest sister she is quite contempt with staying in the Zoo and is most comfortable in it's walls. She has heard stories from shifters that have been hunted an even killed and knows that keeping her head down is the safest path she can take. Even with this Quill has always been an avid user of social media and always has her phone on her.
She is part of the Porter family. xx Animal xx Asexual
male || 14 || flemish giant
in his rabbit form waeringawicum is just as soft and fluffy, but he's massive due to being a flemish giant. there's a bit of a dove-gray coloration to the tip of his nose and his ears, though.
as a human waeringawicum is a slender man with fairly pale skin, blue eyes, and soft, fluffy white hair.
waeringawicum is, to put it bluntly, a little monster. he's full of sly tricks and little games that more often than not leave the players confused. he likes to joke around and just be an overall tease, somebody who hates being serious and hates being around those who are serious. he can be rather talkative as well, especially if he's interacting with somebody who would much rather have a slow-paced conversation because, once again, he likes messing with people. any trust put in this boy should be supervised, or rather, trust shouldn't be given to him in the first place. sure, he's somebody to go to for entertainment, but anything serious and your best bet is to go to somebody else.
was born and raised in the zoo so he doesn't know much about life outside it. the "outside world" as he calls it does intrigue him.n/a xx animal xx sexuality still pending
female || twelve || japanese striped snake
In her animal form, Tenshi is equally small for an adolescent japanese striped snake. She' s smaller than the usual snakes but she's really happy with her brilliant light brown scales and yellow underbelly. She thinks the stripes are quite dashing and though the waist down paralysis is still applicable in this form and her lower half doesn't function she's fond of this form. There's something fun about lounging in the sun and slithering about for her.
Tenshi takes after her mother more than her father with a paler, milkier tan complexion. She has bright dark brown eyes and black hair that she's growing out. It reaches the small of her back and she loves having it done up in bows or braids. Tenshi is small for her age, her height is about 4'6" though it should also be noted she's paralyzed at the waist down and utilizes a wheelchair to get around.
Tenshi is curious by nature. She enjoys the thrill of discovery and she's very energetic and eager to learn new things. She's had a very sheltered upbringing but she enjoys the stories Masahiro used to tell her which has led to a love for stories and tall tales. She's very clever and smart but she's also quiet, attentive and bright but not one for many words unless around people she trust or like. She's got an attention to detail that makes her father proud and she's pretty responsible for her age. And though there's a childlike naivety and innocence that surrounds her, she's not half as naive as many would like to believe.
Despite having a wealthy grandfather and a successful father, Tenshi's grown up her entire life with a working single parent and more often than not she finds herself with a babysitter and Masahiro. She loves her father dearly, but Masahiro was everything to Tenshi. However, at the age of seven, following her brother's enlistment into the military she lost him which broke her heart. Since then, Isao resigned and devoted his time to her which was a welcome change, but it wasn't until the Fuyus welcomed Xingfu into their home that their little family felt complete. Isao's even gone so far as to relocate them to Berkley Zoo for a new landscape and if Tenshi's to be honest she likes it here with all the new people and she's excited for when she'll be old enough to work the concession stands. She has a love for flowers as well and she's been trying to ask Isao to push for an animal themed flower shop.
daughter of fuyu isao and fuyu hanako [deceased], sister to fuyu masahiro [deceased], adoptive daughter of yu xingfu xx animal xx n/a
female || eight || snow leopard
In her animal form, Willow is small, like a cub. She has soft white fur, tipped with a frosty gray color that makes it darker in some areas, and scattered with faded black leopard markings. Her eyes are a deep blue-gray color, and she almost always has a 'are you serious' type look on her face. Her paws are a bit larger than she knows what to do with, so she tends to be clumsy, which the humans love.
Willow's human appearance is what most adults would call 'cute'. She has soft, long brown hair that falls in loose curls most of the time. Her eyes are a deep blue, and look older than the rest of her. She has pale skin, dotted with almost-as-pale freckles. Her go-to outfit is a blouse, some jeans, and sandals or sneakers.
Willow is shy, almost to the point that she refuses to talk. She is very hard to talk to, as she doesn't open up easily. She is polite and patient, and speaks in a voice that sounds like it doesn't want to be heard. However, when she does trust someone, and finally opens up, she can be quite mischievous, and daring. She likes jokes, and puns, and if she especially trusts you, she loves hugs.
Willow was born into the zoo. It's all she's ever known. She has lived her entire life here, and if you ask her she wouldn't want it any other way. Sure, she craves adventures like those kids in the movies have. But those are just movies, and she's still just a kid.
open and in need of family xx animal xx other
female || 7 || river otter
Mitzi's animal form is that of a petite river otter. Her fur is rich and dark brown, with an underbelly of pale cream. Her eyes are dark brown and beady, seeming to be even more intense when contrasted with the adorable otter's face they're set in.
Mitzi appears to be your average 7-year-old child, with round features and a short stature. Her hair is wild, messy, and blonde. She almost never bothers to do anything with it, and it often has twigs or leaves stuck in it. Her eyes are wide, with pale blue irises. As for clothing, Mitzi absolutely adores overalls, and she can often be found in a blue pair of these dotted with grime.
Usually, Mitzi is sweet and bubbly, full of energy and eager to talk with anyone. It seems like she has boundless energy, always finding the time for every activity she wants. This constant energy makes her quite impatient though, and she almost never slows down to consider what she’s doing before she does it. She believes that if she waits too long, she’ll lose the opportunity to accomplish her goals, so she’s constantly in a rush. She’s a thrill seeker too, and loves the adrenaline rush she gets from activities like sports or playing pranks on others. The latter she does quite a lot of along with her brother, although she's usually just the brawn of the operation.
Mitzi and her brother Nolan were orphaned at a young age, when their parents were killed and skinned by hunters while trying to protect them. The twins only survived by staying in their animal forms, and have no lasting memories of their parents. They lived on their own, trying their very best to survive. They were starving and suffering from acute werebite when they were found by Hal and Kendra, who took the twins under their wing. The makeshift family eventually grew quite close, and ended up coming to the zoo together.
Twin of Nolan, adopted by Kendra and "Uncle Hal" xx animal xx other
f || 5 || cotton top tamarin
In her Tamarin form, Marlowe still resembles a baby. She's all fluff, and much to her dismay, the thin and light strands manage to get everywhere. She has the same problem with personal upkeep in this form that she does when she's a human and more often than not her hair will be a tangle of knots by the end of the day.
Marlowe appears to be your average five-year-old. The Tamarin shifter still only stands at 3 and a half feet, and lean muscles hug her slender frame. Her light brown hair is almost always pulled back, mainly because she doesn't have the patience to keep it well-groomed during the course of the day. Her eyes are the color of coffee grinds, and the child has a smile that manages to both make her look adorable and like she's ever plotting new mischief. When it comes to outfits, Marlowe dresses like a Kindergartner's art project. She'll wear red leggings with a bright pink too-too, green rain boots, and a dark blue jacket without batting an eye. She has a weird fascination with bracelets, and will often snatch her mother's jewelry to wear throughout the day.
Marlowe is the definition of extra. She's a little schemer, and always seems to have some mischief planned for the near future. She's very extroverted, stopping to talk to nearly everyone she passes, however she's not yet adapt with social ques. More often than not her energy and excitable nature are intimidating, especially for someone who's not used to children. The five-year-old is fairly intelligent, and has a much older mentality when it comes to more adult topics like death. Perhaps this has to do with the environment she's growing up in, where everything people do is to survive. However, she is often the first to crack jokes and make light of difficult situations. She's a big people pleaser, and sees every little smile as a success. However, she is also interested in pranks and troublemaking, and loves a good laugh.
Marlowe Porter was born and raised in Berkley Zoo. She was always the baby of the family, coddled by both her parent and her siblings. However, from the moment she could walk on her own, the young shifter always ventured away from the safety of her family. She practically begged her parents to send her to public school once she mastered her shift, and seems to be spending more and more time away from the zoo. She's never gone far from the safety of Berkley, however, though she harbors a deep lust for the adventure of striking out on her own.
her parents are mortimer porter, and zoya porter, siblings are devlin porter, and quill porter xx animal xx n/a
Hunters n/a
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